The teams' first postseason encounter came in 1980, with the Rockets winning the best-of-3 series. Houston rolled 141-120 in Game 3 at The Summit behind big games from Moses Malone (37 points), Calvin Murphy (33) and Robert Reid (20, pictured).

After knocking off the defending champion Lakers in the first round, the Rockets again wen the distance with the Spurs. This time, they went into HemisFair Arena and led by Calvin Murphy's 42 points, pulled out a 105-100 victory in Game 7.

With the Rockets up 109-107 in the final seconds of the teams' regular-season finale in San Antonio, David Robinson's tip-in tied the score.
The only problem was replays showed it came after the buzzer. The Spurs won 119-117 in overtime, with the loss costing the Rockets home-court advantage in the second round against Seattle. Houston lost that series 4-3, with the home team winning each game.

The Rockets pulled off a remarkable rally, outscoring the Spurs 12-2 during the final five minutes, for a 90-88 win at the Alamodome. Vernon Maxwell hit a leaning jumper at the horn to deliver the victory and move the Rockets to 22-1 to start the 1993-94 season.

Robert Horry won his first two championships with the Rockets and his last two with the Spurs. Horry has said his most special ring was with the 1994-95 Rockets given their underdog role.
One of his biggest contributions during that run came in Game 1 of the Western final at San Antonio. Horry's 17-footer with 6.4 seconds left gave the Rockets a 94-93 victory. It was the only shot he made from the field that night.

San Antonio's David Robinson was presented the MVP trophy before Game 2 of the 1995 Western final, and then was schooled on his home floor.
The Rockets' Hakeem Olajuwon made an MVP statement of his own by dropping 41 points and 16 rebounds on the Admiral. That Included the iconic series of spin moves that became known as the "Dream Shake."

Dennis Rodman was an eccentric character during his NBA career, but his antics during the 1995 Western Conference final helped sink the Spurs.
From showing up just before Game 5 to not participating in team huddles, Rodman's detrimental conduct provided an unwelcome sideshow as the Spurs lost all three home games en route to falling in six.

It may seem hard to believe now, but Gregg Popovich's job as Spurs coach wasn't always secure. In the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, the Spurs started 6-8 and had lost five of seven to put Popovich on the proverbial hot seat and rumblings about David Robinson's future in San Antonio.
But on March 2, 1999, against the Rockets at Compaq Center, Avery Johnson came up big in the fourth quarter to pace a 99-82 victory that helped spark a nine-game winning streak and 31-5 finish to the regular season. The Spurs then went 15-2 during the playoffs to win their first title.

In a stunning flurry, the Rockets' Tracy McGrady scored 13 points in just 35 seconds to lift the Rockets to a stunning 81-80 victory on Dec. 9, 2004, at Toyota Center. The Rockets scored 17 points in the last 52.4 seconds.